Courthouses: privilege from civil arrest.

California SB873 aims to provide certain protections against civil arrest within courthouses. This means that individuals attending court proceedings cannot be arrested for civil matters while they are in the courthouse, ensuring they can participate in legal processes without fear of immediate arrest. The bill makes specific changes to the Civil Code to establish these protections.

CA SB873 is a senate bill in the California 2025-2026 Regular Session, sponsored by Eloise Reyes (D), currently “Passed” since September 29, 2026.

We track 5,060 California bills this session, 36 of them sponsored by Eloise Reyes.

The key recorded vote (Senate, August 28, 2026) ended 30–10 and passed.

Supporters of SB873 argue that the bill enhances access to justice by allowing individuals to attend court without the fear of being arrested, which can deter them from participating in important legal matters. They believe it promotes fairness and encourages people to seek legal remedies without the added stress of civil arrest.

Critics of SB873 may argue that the bill could potentially allow individuals who are facing civil legal issues to evade accountability by using the courthouse as a shield from arrest. They may express concerns that this could undermine the enforcement of civil judgments and lead to unintended consequences in the legal system.

Source: LegiScan roll call vote data.